Real Heroes of SDA
The best ever football team in the history of SDA! They trained hard, fought well and shed blood on the ground. It was not for them, not for the cup, not for the school but for the men next to them..their fellow teammates. They were all rounders, rank holders, sportsmen, and have now become successful professionals and entrepreneurs. However, not mere book worms and notoriously famous both inside and outside the campus. The main reason behind their success was a man who coached them to go beyond their limits. It was Mr.Rajesh, unfortunately missing in the picture. We are Proud to be their juniors, who carried their legacy forward in all the ways. Perhaps some of the best movie scenes based on football were inspired by them. My brothers Dinesh Kumar, Thiru Maran Mani, Prasanna, Muthu Mari, Pradeep and the entire team. Hats off to you all!
While most of you are busy whining about the laziest sport ever, cricket, 'IPL', I'm remembering the real sport for real men, football, specifically our school seniors who were heroes then and led us to sports and thus become men. Three people who don't deserve to be in this picture are our principal and the two so-called physical trainers, who did nothing but posing for this picture. We all are indebted to our coach, Mr Rajesh, who doesn't biologically exist now.
Year - 1998 | Place - Madurai | Context - #Football |
The #SDA, #EllisNagar, #Madurai was about to retain the Football cup of the Madurai district. If a school wins the district cup for 3 years in a row, the cup can be held by that school forever. We had won two times in a row, and the final match of the third year was between us - SDA and TVS Lakshmi. Incidentally, the match was held not a common venue but the home ground of TVS Lakshmi and a refree was a physical trainer of TVS Lakshmi. Therefore, all his actions were one sided and determined to make TVS Lakshmi win. 10 minutes to the completion of the full time, refree gave a penalty advantage to TVS Lakshmi and they scored. Not only we knew it was a wrong decision but everyone in the ground including the opponents. They won. TVS Lakshmi 2 - SDA Ellis Nagar 1.
Consequently, we became furious, on the cue of our erstwhile physical trainer Late Rajesh sir and my father, my brother Mohamed Mohideen anne threw the water can into the ground starting the fight, we (spectators - juniors) and our football team (seniors Thirumarai Mani and team) Muthu Mari anne, my brother ran into the ground and assaulted the team of TVS Lakshmi and that refree was brutally assaulted, he ran out of the ground and hid in a building of the school. Our school's the so-called physical trainer, in the colloquial language of Madurai, a "Jari Joker", scolded us and held us accountable for the problem. I slapped him separately on a different occasion remembering this. Muthumari anne removed his shorts and threw it on his face, it was full of blood. I vividly remember that scene. His entire right thigh had bruises. He was a forward, he had to skid to score a goal. On leaving that ground, we caused maximum damage that we could inflict. The football net was cut, flower pots were broken, securities were thrown out.
Subsequently, SDA, Ellis Nagar, Madurai was banned from track and field events for 3 years. The team of TVS Lakshmi came to the ground (UC ground, Arasaradi) where we practice for compromise. While I was not let to be a part of the compromise our super seniors led by Thiru Maran Mani anne persuaded our seniors of the SDA football team and TVS Lakshmi. However, the ban on us remained.
SDA, Ellis Nagar, Madurai was synonymous with studies, sports and street fights. We were all rounders and notoriously famous. Fate - some went on to become residents of foreign nations, some died, some convicted.
This video of Maradona was reminiscent of our yesteryears.
https://www.facebook.com/share/v/15qpDtmQaS/
Remember, you are only a seasonal fan of football because of whatever season you are watching now in television - a mere spectator. But, football was our staple. The cost was our lives. Not only did we win tournaments, but sustained permanent mental and physical injuries, whose effects persist for decades now. Unlike, other sports reserved for the kind, football is for real men. What do you know about failures?
Authored by Balaji Thangapandian aka #BT - a spacefarer, who is also curious about film-making, connectivity technologies and military history.
This is a pic which inspired almost all the junior students of that time,wounderd & observed andthe players the PT sir Mr.Rajesh when they were on ground practice.
ReplyDeleteAnd those days were good in our school with other games like running practice ,pole vault and karate class too , really a rememberable school days.
Balaji ji, thanks for making me to rethink those golden days.
CHINNA CHADAYAN
1999 plus two,Pass out
SDA Ellis Nagar
Wish we had a time machine.
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